Formation testing tool

ABSTRACT

An oil-well-type tool which is adapted for use in deep wells. It cooperates with a reelable armored hose for connection with the surface, and it includes an electric motor driven by a positive displacement pump. There are solenoid valves and piping connections for carrying out surface-controlled test operations at different locations downhole.

United States Patent 11 1 Pitts, Jr.

[4 1 Apr. 2, 1974 1 1 FORMATION TESTING TOOL [75] Inventor: Robert W. Pitts, Jr., Houston, Tex.

[73] Assignee: Texaco Inc., New York, NY.

[22] Filed: Feb. 16, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 333,075

[52] U.S. CI 166/65 R, 166/106, 166/147 [51] Int. Cl E21b 43/00, E211) 49/00 [58] Field of Search 166/65 R, 68, 68.5, 72,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Moore 166/65 R Bannister 166/65 R 2,511,759 6/1950 Williams 166/106 2,843,052 7/1958 166/65 R 3,134,441 5/1964 166/65 R 3,381,751 5/1968 McLelland 166/65 R Primary Examinerlames A. Leppink Attorney, Agent, or Firm-T. H. Whaley; C. G. Ries [57] ABSTRACT An oil-well-type tool which is adapted for use in deep wells. It cooperates with a reelable armored hose for connection with the surface, and it includes an electric motor driven by a positive displacement pump. There are solenoid valves and piping connections for carrying out surface-controlled test operations at different locations downhole.

5 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 2 m4 SHEET 5 [1F 7 FORMATION TESTING TOOL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention concerns oil-well-type tools, in general. More specifically, it relates to a formation-testing tool that is particularly applicable to testing incased wells.

2. Description of the Prior Art While there have been various tools proposed for making formation tests in one manner or another, nothing has been developed that has all of the attributes of a tool according to this invention. The conventional testing tool is supported by a wire line and, consequently, the formation sample is very limited. On the other hand, a so-called drill-stem test is limited to the use of a drill string in the hole. Furthermore, no known practical tool has the complete versatility of this invention.

Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a comprehensive formation-testing tool that can accomplish a substantial number of different kinds of tests while being able to be shifted from one location to another downhole.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, this invention concerns a formation-testing tool that comprises in combination armored-hose means for connecting said tool with the surface, including electrical conductors for supplying power downhole, and a pump in said tool. It also comprises electricmotor means for driving said pump, a plurality of inflatable packers spaced longitudinally apart along said tool, and first conduit means in said tool for connecting the outside of said tool between said packets to said hose for fluid connection to the surface. It also comprises second conduit means in said tool for connecting said packers to said pump for applying fluid pressure to inflate the packers, valve means for controlling interconnections of said, first and second conduit means with said hose and said pump for inflating said packers and for drawing formation fluid from the annulus between the packers to be carried to the surface for testing, and means for controlling actuation of said valve means.

Again, briefly, the invention concerns a formationtesting tool that comprises in combination a reelable armored hose for making a fluid-flow connection with the surface from said tool, said hose having a plural layered armor-wire covering, coiled-spring inner wall stiffener, and at least three separately insulated electrical conductors embedded between two layers of impervious plastic material forming the walls of said hose. The tool also comprises a hose-coupling end for mechanically joining said layered armor wires to said tool and for making a fluid-tight coupling with the interior of said tool, and a housing section containing. electronic control means. It also comprises a first conduit in said tool being joined to said hose coupling, a three-phase AC pump motor mounted in said tool, and a positive displacement pump mounted in said tool, and having a suction port and a discharge port. It also comprises reduction-gear means for connecting said motor to said pump, and second and third conduits in said tool being joined to said suction port and discharge port, respectively. It also comprises a plurality of solenoid-actuated valves, and upper and lower inflatable packers on said tool separated longitudinally for straddling a producing zone. It also comprises fourth and fifth conduit means in said tool for applying fluid pressure to said packers, respectively, and a sixth conduit being connected to the outside of said tool between said packers, and a plurality of conduit connections interconnecting said valves with said sixth conduit whereby desired formation tests may be carried out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other objects and benefits of the invention will be more fully set forth below in connection with the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out the invention, and in connection with which there are illustrations provided in the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation illustrating typical equipment to be used with a tool according to the invention;

FIGS. 2-7 are schematic flow diagrams illustrating the valve positions and flow paths for carrying out various functions of the tool;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the upper, or head end of the tool according to the invention;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged transverse cross-section taken along the line 99 on FIG. 8, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGS. 10-13 are longitudinal cross-sectional showings, illustrating the remaining elements of a tool according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown some typical equipment which may be employed in connection with making use of a tool according to this invention. Thus, there is shown a reel truck 11 located in front of a hoist truck 12 which has a foldable mast 13 thereon with a pulley 14 at the free end of the mast. The pulley acts to guidably support a tool 18 that is suspended at the end of a hose 19 which is specially constructed, as will appear more fully hereinafter.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, it will be noted that the hose 19 is made up of a coiled-spring inner-wall stiffener 22. This is preferably a rectangular cross-section spring metal which is coiled tightly so as to provide maximum stiffening while permitting adequate flexibility. Next outside of the inner-wall coil 22, there are a plurality of layers (not shown) of steel wire and plastic interwound to form an hydraulic hose or layer 23. This layer 23 is preferably constructed like a standard hydraulic hose with as many as six layers (not shown) of counterwound wire sealed with neoprene or other suitable plastic material. A principal function of this layer 23 is to provide capability to withstand internal pressure in the hose 19. Outside the layer 23, there is another similar insulating-material layer 26 with a coiled electrical conductor layer 27 in between.

It will be noted that the layer 27 is made up of three groups of adjacent electrical conductors 30, 31, and 32 (see FIG. 9). These groups are laterally separated (peripherally around the layer) by insulators 35, 36, and 37, which are illustrated as solid circles in FIG. 9. It will be appreciated that these conductors and insulators may be formed on the layer 23 by running the core through a cable machine in order to wind the various wires and insulators in the respective positions relative to one another. In this manner, there are provided three separate electrical conductor groups, i.e., 30, 31, and 32, which may supply electric power for the pump and other elements in the tool.

Outside of the outer insulation layer 26, there are a pair of armor-wire layers 40 and 41 which are wound in opposite direction spirals for providing strength with flexibility to the hose.

Hose 19 is anchored to the tool 18 by providing the tool with a head end or coupling member 44. It will be noted that in FIG. 8 (as well as in FIGS. 10l3) the tool 18 is shown inside of a casing 45. It will be understood, however, that under appropriate circumstances the tool may be designed for operating in an uncased hole.

The head-end member 44 has appropriate structure for securely fastening the hose 19 to the tool as well as for permitting an uncoupling of the body of the tool from the head member. Thus, there is a tapered tip 48 which is part of the head end 44 and is closely fitted around the outer layer of armor wire 41. Also, a largerdiameter nose piece 49 is held in place around the tip 48. This nose portion 49 has a complimentary taper with the tip 48 and is fastened to the tip 48 by a set screw 50, as illustrated. There is a reduced-diameter threaded extension 51 of the nose piece 49. This is adapted to receive a body extension 53. Extension 53 is threaded internally to mesh with the threads on nose extension 51, and it has a smooth internal surface for cooperating with appropriate seals, such as O-rings 54. These maintain fluid-tight conditions between the exterior of the tool 18 and its interior where the hose 19 is attached. The attachment of the hose 19 includes appropriately constructed clamp structure 55, as illustrated. It will be observed that the ends of the armorwire layers 40 and 41 are securely held by clamping action against a washer 56.

There is an inner metallic sleeve 57 that butts against the end of the coiled spring 22. These have the same inside diameter for providing a continuous fluid-flow path connecting with the inside of the hose 19. The sleeve 57 has an extension of the insulation layer 23 securely attached to the outside thereof, and there are a plurality of barbs 58 to assist in holding this insulation layer against tensile longitudinal forces.

The ends of the electrical conductors 30, 31, and 32 are brought out and fastened to electrical connectors, e.g., a banana-plug connector 61, that makes electrical connection by cooperating with a female connector 62 from which the electrical connector path is continued by a wire 63. It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that individual strands of the conductor groups 30, 31, and 32 may be electrically joined together as desired for any particular power requirements, while unused strands might be individually insulated (not shown) if separate low-power circuits should be desired.

The head end 44 of the tool is joined onto a housing section 66 that contains electronic control means (not shown) in annular interior space 65 that surrounds a fluid conduit 67. At the other end of the section 66 (see FIG. 10), the conduit 67 is coupled to another conduit 68.

Here, there is a succeeding section 71 (FIGS. 10 and 11) of the tool 18. This section contains an electrical pump motor 72 (schematically indicated). While this might be various types of motor, it is preferably one manufactured by the Reda Pump Division of TRW of Bartlesville, Okla. Specifically, it might be a 10.5 horsepower motor from the 375 series, rated at 400 volts and three-phase sixty cycles.

Section 71 also contains a reduction gear box 75 (schematically indicated) that connects the motor 72 with a positi e displacement pump 76 (also schematically indicated). Connected to the pump, there is a pair of conduits 79 and 80 that each connect to the suction port and discharge port, respectively, of the pump 76. It will be observed that the conduit 68 is continued along one side of the interior of this section 71 of the tool. At the end of section 71 adjacent to the pump 76, there is a joint 83 where the conduit 68 along with the conduits 79 and 80, are all coupled to continuations on into another section 86 of the tool 18. Section 86 (FIGS. 11 and 12) contains a plurality of electrically controlled solenoid valves 87 that are schematically indicated and have been identified in the drawings by the numbers 1 to 9.

FIG. 12 illustrates the connection of the section 86 of the tool to a lowermost (when vertical, e.g. as suspended from the hose 19), or end section 90 that is shown in broken portions thereof in FIGS. 12 and 13. This section contains three conduits 91, 92, and 93 that are illustrated schematically by single-line showings in FIGS. 12 and 13, as well as in FIGS. 2-7. The conduits 91, 92, and 93 are interconnected from various of the valves 87, and conduit 91 leads to an upper one of two expansible packers 95 (FIG. 12) and 96 (FIG. 13) for inflating and deflating same. Conduit 93 leads to the lower packer 93, while the third conduit 92 leads to an exterior port 100, as schematically indicated in FIG. 13. The latter permits the sampling of well fluid from the exterior of the tool at a location longitudinally spaced between the two packers 95 and 96. It will be understood that the drawings illustrate only broken sections of the tool in order to conserve space in the illustration.

The extreme free end of the tool (when connected to hose 19) has a solid tip 103 that is attached to the section 90 of the tool using fluid seals as indicated.

Referring to FIGS. 2-7 it will be appreciated that these schematic diagrams illustrate fluid-flow paths for a number of different functions which may be carried out with the tool described above. Thus, for example, referring to FIG. 2, the electrically controlled valves 87 may be set to the positions schematically indicated in order to inflate the upper packer 95 by applying pressure from the pump 76 with its supply being taken from the cable, i.e., conduit 68. It will be observed that the fluid-flow paths are indicated by heavy lines. Thus, fluid from the cable, or hose 19 will flow via a path 106 to valve No. 3 and from there to the suction conduit leading to the pump 76. Thereafter, from pump discharge, a fluid-flow path 107 leads to the upper packer 95 via valves 2 and 4 and the conduit 91.

As an alternative, and with reference to FIG. 3, the valve interconnections may be set so that pressure fluid from the surface (as applied to the hose 19, or cable via conduit 68) may be applied directly to the upper packer 95 via the dark-line flow paths indicated. These paths proceed through valve nos. 1, 2 and 4 to the conduit 91.

FIG. 4 illustrates the flow paths for applying surfacegenerated fluid pressure via the conduit 68 to the lower packer 96. This employs the dark-line flow paths shown that proceed via valves nos. 1, 2, and 5 to the conduit 93.

FIG. 5 illustrates the flow-path connections that would be employed to draw a formation sample from the exterior of the tool 18 via the port 100 located between the packers. Thus, a flow path begins at the port 100 and goes through the conduit 92 to a flow path 110 which leads from the formation to valve No. 3 where it is connected to the suction side of the pump 76. The discharge side of the pump is connected via another flow path 111 to valve no. 1 where it is connected to conduit 68 for transmittal to the surface.

FIG. 6 illustrates the flow connections that may be employed in order to provide for producing the formation into the annuus of the well which surrounds the tool 18 and the hose 19. For accomplishing this, there is another port 112 (see FIG. 11) which is located above the upper packer 95, and another conduit 113 (FIG. 11) which is only schematically indicated in FIG. 11 as well as in the flow diagrams of FIGS. 2-7. Thus, formation fluid from between the packers is connected via the conduit 92 and a flow path 114 to valve No. 3. From there the fluid flow proceeds via the pump 76 to an exit flow path 115 that leads to valve No. 6. After valve No. 6, there is a fluid-flow path out via the conduit 113 to the casing above the upper packer.

FIG. 7 illustrates still another flow-path connection that may be employed. This path would be used for pumping fluid from the surface into the formation between the packers. Thus, from the conduit 68, there is a fluid-flow path 118 that leads to valve No. 3 and from there to the suction port of pump 76. Thereafter, the pump discharge leads to a flow path 119 that goes to valve No. 9 which connects it to the formation via the conduit 92 and the port 100.

It will be observed that while some of the various combinations have been illustrated in the FIGS. 2-7, there are many more variations which may be employed. Thus, by having the electrical control signals transmitted down through the electrical conductors and via the electronic control section of the tool 18, various predetermined arrangements or settings of valve positions (valves 87), i.e., valves Nos. l-9, may be made. Also, of course, the energization of the pump 76 will be carried out when appropriate to provide fluid flow and/or fluid pressure, as desired.

While the invention has been described above in considerable detail and in accordance with the applicable statutes, this is not in any way to be taken as limiting the invention but merely as being descriptive thereof.

I claim: 1. A formation testing tool, comprising in combination armored-hose means for connecting said tool with the surface including electrical conductors for supplying power downhole,

a pump in said tool,

electric motor means for driving said pump,

a plurality of inflatable packers spaced longitudinally apart along said tool,

first conduit means in said tool for connecting the outside of the tool between said packers to said hose for fluid connection to the surface,

second conduit means in said tool for connecting said packers to said pump for applying fluid pressure to inflate the packers,

valve means for controlling interconnections of said first and second conduit means with said hose and said pump for inflating said packers and drawing formation fluid from the annulus therebetween to be carried to the surface for testing, and

means for controlling actuation of said valve means.

2. A formation testing tool according to claim 1,

wherein said pump is a positive displacement type.

3. A formation testing tool according to claim 2,

wherein said pump has a suction port and a discharge port, and said first and second conduit means comprise a plurality of conduits interconnecting said pump ports and said hose with said valve means.

4. A formation testing tool according to claim 3,

wherein said valve means comprises a plurality of solenoidactuated valves, and

said means for controlling actuation of said valves means comprises circuit means including said hose electrical conductors and electronic means for controlling energization of said solenoids.

5. A formation testing tool, comprising in combination a reelable armored hose for making a fluid-flow connection with the surface from said tool,

said hose having a plural-layered armor-wire outer covering, a coiled-spring inner wall stiffener and at least three separately insulated electrical conductors embedded between two layers of impervious plastic material forming the walls of said hose,

a hose-coupling end on said tool for mechanically joining said armor-wire layers to said tool and for making a fluid-tight coupling with the interior of said tool,

a housing section containing electronic control means,

a first conduit in said tool being joined to said hose coupling,

a three-phase AC pump motor mounted in said tool, a positive displacement pump mounted in said tool and having a suction port and a discharge port, reduction gear means for controlling said motor to said pump,

second and third conduits in said tool being joined to said suction port and said discharge port, respectively,

a plurality of solenoid-actuated valves,

upper and lower inflatable packers on said tool separated longitudinally for straddling a producing zone,

fourth and fifth conduits in said tool for applying fluid pressure to said packers, respectively,

a sixth conduit being connected to the outside of said tool between said packers, and

a plurality of conduit connections interconnecting said valves with said sixth conduit whereby desired formation tests may be carried out. 

1. A formation testing tool, comprising in combination armored-hose means for connecting said tool with the surface including electrical conductors for supplying power downhole, a pump in said tool, electric motor means for driving said pump, a plurality of inflatable packers spaced longitudinally apart along said tool, first conduit means in said tool for connecting the outside of the tool between said packers to said hose for fluid connection to the surface, second conduit means in said tool for connecting said packers to said pump for applying fluid pressure to inflate the packers, valve means for controlling interconnections of said first and second conduit means with said hose and said pump for inflating said packers and drawing formation fluid from the annulus therebetween to be carried to the surface for testing, and means for controlling actuation of said valve means.
 2. A formation testing tool according to claim 1, wherein said pump is a positive displacement type.
 3. A formation testing tool according to claim 2, wherein said pump has a suction port and a discharge port, and said first and second conduit means comprise a plurality of conduits interconnecting said pump ports and said hose with said valve means.
 4. A formation testing tool according to claim 3, wherein said valve means comprises a plurality of solenoid-actuated valves, and said means for controlling actuation of said valves means comprises circuit means including said hose electrical conductors and electronic means for controlling energization of said solenoids.
 5. A formation testing tool, comprising in combination a reelable armored hose for making a fluid-flow connection with the surface from said tool, said hose having a plural-layered armor-wire outer covering, a coiled-spring inner wall stiffener and at least three separately insulated electrical conductors embedded between two layers of impervious plastic material forming the walls of said hose, a hose-coupling end on said tool for mechanically joining said armor-wire layers to said tool and for making a fluid-tight coupling with the interior of said tool, a housing section containing electronic control means, a first conduit in said tool being joined to said hose coupling, a three-phase AC pump motor mounted in said tool, a positive displacement pump mounted in said tool and having a suction port and a discharge port, reduction gear means for controlling said motor to said pump, second and third conduits in said tool being joined to said suction port and said discharge port, respectively, a plurality of solenoid-actuated valves, upper and lower inflatable packers on said tool separated longitudinally for straddling a producing zone, fourth and fifth conduits in said tool for applying fluid pressure to said packers, respectively, a Sixth conduit being connected to the outside of said tool between said packers, and a plurality of conduit connections interconnecting said valves with said sixth conduit whereby desired formation tests may be carried out. 